Imaging of arterial inflammation: Keeping our cool on a hot topic

摘要

Despite advances in treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) over the past several decades, its burden remains high (1). Appropriately, contemporary investigations have focused on the identification of patients at greatest risk for CVD. Although the central role of inflammation within the atherosclerotic plaque in the pathogenesis of CVD events has been recognized (2), serologic biomarkers such as C-reactive protein have not necessarily improved CVD risk prediction (3). Alternatively, noninvasive imaging may provide direct characterization and quantitation of inflammation within the atherosclerotic plaque, suggesting a role for an imaging biomarker to improve CVD risk prediction incrementally over standard risk factors.